London, England

Traveling to London always feels like coming home.

Here’s why: I went to high school for nearly four years outside London, and after graduating from university, went back a few years later to work for a startup in central London. A good part of my “formative” years were spent in England in British culture, and to this day it’s still a part of me.

Everytime I return to London, I crave the simple things: a pint, a run in the park, a walk in the neighborhood, a Saturday on a high street, a paper and a chat. I’ve been to all the tourist sights over the years, and always pop into a museum when I visit, but for me, London is about the simple things that remind you of home.

* * *

What I like to do in London:

London is a difficult city to find a place to stay. Famously small, cramped, expensive hotel rooms, many different neighborhoods scattered over the city, and so many different options. I used to live in South Kensington in the western part of Central London, but I never stay there when I travel. I prefer to stay in Marylebone and around, in central London, close to transport and the neighborhoods that I like to frequent. I like the Mandeville Hotel and the Dorset Square Hotel, but there are many, many options.
Run in the parks. I like to run through Regent’s Park and up to the top of Primrose Hill, to look over the city, and do loops on the paths past people enjoying their days. I usually run through Hyde Park, Green Park and St. James Park, all brilliant parks in the center of London.
Walk. The walk from Westminster past the London Eye to the Tate Modern, and across the Millenium Bridge and up to St. Paul’s, is one of my favorites. I also love wandering through the mews in central London. East London, Shoreditch, the Silicon Roundabout, have all become far more popular since I last lived in London, so it’s an area I’m less familiar with, but it’s where I’m exploring these days.
Pints. A pint in the afternoon is a standard part of my London day. I grew up with the classic British pub, but the rise of the gastropub and the changing in the laws regarding closing times has changed the pub scene a bit.